1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to luminaires, and more particularly, to a fiber optic luminaire adaptable to many different configurations and having a controlled light distribution.
2. Description of the Related Art
Light conducting, light shaping and light distribution structures are known. For example, it is known to couple light energy along a fiber optic cable from a light source to a luminaire. The light source provides a source of light energy, and the luminaire is constructed to distribute the light energy with a desired intensity and in a desired pattern. The fiber optic cable provides a conduit for transporting the light energy from the light source to the luminaire. It is also known to provide light distributing fiber optic cable. Such fiber optic cable is adapted to scatter light energy outwardly from its surface as the light energy is coupled along the length of the fiber. Because these fibers scatter the light energy there is little or no control of the light energy distribution. Hence, the intensity of the light distribution varies substantially along the length of the fiber.
Light pipes too are devices that find application in light distribution applications. A light pipe is typically arranged to couple light energy from a light source along its structure. Additionally, the light pipe is arranged to distribute the light energy from its structure in a desired pattern. In this manner the light pipe acts both as the conduit and as the luminaire. Light pipes are typically adapted for a particular light distribution application. For example, a light pipe is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,946 for providing backlighting to a liquid crystal display (LCD). Similar arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,048; 5,394,255; 5,390,276; 5,594,830; 5,600,455 and 5,600,462. Another example of a light pipe application is instrument cluster lighting in an automobile.
In the light pipe arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,946 a planar faceted back surface is used to reflect light energy, substantially uniformly, through a planar top surface. The other of the above-referenced patents show similar arrangements for coupling and distributing light energy from a light source into a planar pattern for providing LCD backlighting. Substantial improvements to the concepts shown in these patents are disclosed and described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/601,133 entitled "Apparatus for LCD Backlighting" and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/782,962 entitled "Apparatus for LCD Backlighting", the disclosures of which are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. Still, all of these arrangements have generally been limited to planar light distribution applications.
What is needed then is a luminaire device offering greater flexibility in its construction and configuration while providing precise light distribution.